The celebrated Copper River salmon fishery, renowned for its succulent king and sockeye salmon, opens at 7 a.m. on May 14, signaling the unofficial start of the summer salmon season in Alaska.

The forecast for kings is very good. The forecast for reds, not so hot.

Alaska Airlines copilot Mark Awon walks down a red carpet with the first of this season's Copper River King Salmon at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle Friday morning May 16, 2008. Following Awon is Captain Ken Williams. The flight had 7,500 pounds of the fish, down from an original estimate of 36,000 pounds due to poor weather in Alaska, aboard for local restaurants and stores. This flight was one of four to make a trip today. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear) Stephen Brashear

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the king salmon run will be some 77,000 chinooks, about 24,000 more than the 2008 run produced, albeit 3,000 less than the 10-year average, with about 53,000 fish harvested.

Biologists are also predicting a run of about 1.3 million sockeyes, about 840,000 less than the five-year average and the fifth lowest run since 1980, with about 728,000 reds harvested.

The Copper River/Prince William Sound Marketing Association is planning its own events to welcome the Copper River salmon runs back.

"Two very exciting partnerships are coming together for the start of the season," said Beth Poole, executive director of the association. "We are working with Alaskan Brewing Co. on a co-branding effort that includes a recipe card for Copper River salmon marinated in Alaskan Amber beer and Chef Al from the Kincaid Grill (in Anchorage) will feature the recipe on KTUU television in Anchorage in the middle of May."

The marketing association is announced it is joining forces with the Cordova Chamber of Commerce to bring a Public Broadcasting System and National Geographic television series out to the Copper River flats.

Jon Rowley, who was instrumental in formation of the Copper River brand, will be out on the flats for the first opener and will follow the salmon down to Seattle and Pike Place Fish Market in an episode of a new series, "Whisked Away," featuring Gourmet Magazine editor Ruth Reichl.

Several other local festive events also are planned in Cordova to mark the start of the Copper River run.

Margaret Bauman can be reached at

margie.bauman@alaskajournal.com.